Here’s a reason for parents to move to Rio Rancho that you haven’t heard before: to enroll their sons at Eagle Ridge Gymnastics.

That’s the story of Mike and Mindi Gatten, who have yet to sell their home in Oregon, which they left after thoroughly researching the best place to send their sons, Taylor and Jake, for gymnastics instruction.

The Stapleton Elementary students are expected to receive medals, says Eagle Ridge owner and former gymnast Brandy Wood, at next weekend’s boys state gymnastics meet, to be held at Eagle Ridge Gymnastics on 581 Quantum Road.

Eagle Ridge owner Brandy Wood helps Jake Gatten do a handstand; older brother Taylor, at right, needs no such help.

Wood said levels 8, 9 and 10 — the top-notch, cream-of-the-crop gymnasts — will compete Saturday at 12:30 p.m., while level 5s will compete at 6 p.m.

On Sunday, levels 6 and 7 will vie at 10 a.m. Level 4s square off at 1:30 p.m.

Admission is $6 for adults and $4 for children. There will be concessions available and plenty of seating for the event.

Wood, a former top gymnast as a youngster and later a gymnast at Penn State, said his new gym is expecting about 125 boys in grades kindergarten through high school.

“We have 27 at Eagle Ridge,” he said, thankful for the immediate success of his new gym, which opened in fall of 2008. “We’re doing a little above what we projected.”

Competitors also will be coming in from Albuquerque, Las Cruces and Ruidoso, Wood said.

Watch for those Gatten guys: Taylor is a level 7 gymnast; Jake is a level 4 competitor.

Mindi Gatten, formerly a gymnast in California, said her sons’ interest in gymnastics began when they were living in Oregon.

“Taylor started competing when he was 6 years old,” she said. “We came out here for the gymnastics. (Wood’s) a fantastic coach — we researched it.”

The boys have met Rio Rancho gymnast Joey Hagerty, she said, with Jake blurting out, “He signed my shirt.”

In fact, the Gatten family took a trip to Colorado Springs during the Olympic trials and the boys met the entire U.S. team. They’re big fans of Paul Hamm.

Jake prefers the high bar.

Taylor’s best event, he said, is the pommel horse, even though he was an Oregon high-bar champ and a regional vault champ last year. He competed at level 6 at the tender age of 8, but Mindi said, “He’s been doing gymnastics since he was 2.”

He’s already dreaming of competing for the U.S team in a future Olympics — in 2016.

A lot can happen between now and then.

And for about 125 New Mexican youngsters, the next step is the state meet next weekend at Eagle Ridge.